Gerard Herisson on the First Week at L'Entrecote

As of yesterday, L'Entrecote de Paris has been officially open for one week. We talked to general manager Gerard Herisson (previously of Sole on the Ocean) about how it all went down, surprises, feedback and what's coming (10 more L'Entrecotes!). Here's what he had to say:

How did L'Entrecote de Paris come to be?
The concept was first introduced in Geneva in 1912. In the early 30's the first restaurant with the name L'Entrecote Cafe de Paris was inaugurated in Geneva, today this restaurant is called Maison Boubier. We, L'Entrecote de Paris, follow the tradition of this great restaurant, the Swiss origin that made the name of steak-frites so famous all around the world. Our company is operating six restaurants in Latin America and one in the United States, our first location is Miami, Brickell.

Overall, how was the first week there?
So far we've had people who are both curious about the concept and those who know about the concept from their travels. We've been so happy to host people who live and work in the area. We've also had people drive down from Boca to satisfy their L'Entrecote craving!

What's the feedback so far?
We have good feedback, people know the concept and are happy that we are opening in Brickell. People have really enjoyed the brasserie feel paired with the traditional L'Entrecote dish. We've been very lucky to have a strong following and its only one week in!

What's been the best part about the opening?
Openings are always stressful, but very rewarding. We've been meeting people and putting staff together. It's both very challenging and exciting to finally put the project we've been working on for so long into place.

And the worst?
The worst would be the stress of running live with a new team and new equipment. Everyone is trying to get their bearings and get into a groove. I must say that as of now we're running smoothly!

What was the biggest surprise?
I didn't think the concept would receive such an amazing welcoming in Miami, but it has!

Anything in store for the future?
We are committed to open 10 L'Entrecote de Paris in Florida. There's even talk of launching in Las Vegas!

If you could travel back in time and give yourself advice for the opening, what would it be?
We just opened five Entrecote de Paris throughout South America and each one is different. The concept attracts different people with different eating habits. I'm a firm believer that it's important not to look back but to move forward.
· All Coverage of L'Entrecote de Paris on Eater [EMIA]
· All One Week In Coverage [EMIA]